Of course the strong negative correlation between sleep apnea and didgeridoo players is household knowledge, but before the study I think most of us assumed that was because most didgeridoo players are upside down.
this post was submitted on 25 May 2026
110 points (100.0% liked)
Science Memes
20302 readers
1702 users here now
Welcome to c/science_memes @ Mander.xyz!
A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.
Rules
- Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
- Keep it rooted (on topic).
- No spam.
- Infographics welcome, get schooled.
This is a science community. We use the Dawkins definition of meme.
Research Committee
Other Mander Communities
Science and Research
Biology and Life Sciences
- !abiogenesis@mander.xyz
- !animal-behavior@mander.xyz
- !anthropology@mander.xyz
- !arachnology@mander.xyz
- !balconygardening@slrpnk.net
- !biodiversity@mander.xyz
- !biology@mander.xyz
- !biophysics@mander.xyz
- !botany@mander.xyz
- !ecology@mander.xyz
- !entomology@mander.xyz
- !fermentation@mander.xyz
- !herpetology@mander.xyz
- !houseplants@mander.xyz
- !medicine@mander.xyz
- !microscopy@mander.xyz
- !mycology@mander.xyz
- !nudibranchs@mander.xyz
- !nutrition@mander.xyz
- !palaeoecology@mander.xyz
- !palaeontology@mander.xyz
- !photosynthesis@mander.xyz
- !plantid@mander.xyz
- !plants@mander.xyz
- !reptiles and amphibians@mander.xyz
Physical Sciences
- !astronomy@mander.xyz
- !chemistry@mander.xyz
- !earthscience@mander.xyz
- !geography@mander.xyz
- !geospatial@mander.xyz
- !nuclear@mander.xyz
- !physics@mander.xyz
- !quantum-computing@mander.xyz
- !spectroscopy@mander.xyz
Humanities and Social Sciences
Practical and Applied Sciences
- !exercise-and sports-science@mander.xyz
- !gardening@mander.xyz
- !self sufficiency@mander.xyz
- !soilscience@slrpnk.net
- !terrariums@mander.xyz
- !timelapse@mander.xyz
Memes
Miscellaneous
founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
because most didgeridoo players are upside down
Because they're mostly from Australia?
That is, indeed the "joke", such as it is.
I mean, makes enough sense in concept.
Could also work with any larger wind instrument that requires moving a considerable volume of air.
Builds up muscles related to breathing, could thus potentially moderately reshape the throat and nasal cavity.
Maybe you'd prefer a tuba?
... at least its not a vuvuzela...
The didgeridoo is customarily played using a technique called circular breathing. Because this involves forcing air out of the mouth using the cheeks, it is exceptionally difficult to do on instruments and in mystical styles where maintaining a specific embouchure is required. Which means it's not practical on brass or reeded wind instruments playing most conventional repertoire.
Circular breathing is used by many brass players to hold particularly long notes or unbroken chains of notes.
Same for oboes, bassoons, clarinets.
Its also very useful to harmonica players, which are technically reeded wind instruments.
Circular breathing might not be strictly necessary for some styles, but its definitely used by a lot of people, its basically only an upside if you know how to do it properly, raises your skill ceiling.
I remember trying to breathe and play at the same time I didn't know it was an actual technique lmao
I play the clarinet and I taught myself circular breathing for one particular piece. I can guarantee you it is not a standard technique. It's not even something that you can expect a professional player to be able to perform. I think I've only ever seen one performer use it.
It can be handy as an option for long fast passages, to avoid needing to sneak in a breath. Much less useful for holding a single long note, because it'll impact your embouchure and put a hitch in the note that can be disguised between notes in a faster passage.
at least its not a vuvuzela
Bzzzzzz
As someone with "mild" OSA who doesn't snore but has severe daytime sleepiness (because healthcare research only uses severity measurements as it relates to disturbing other people), this study seems like a total joke.
There was no effect on the quality of sleep (difference -0.7, -2.1 to 0.6, P = 0.27). The combined analysis of sleep related outcomes showed a moderate to large effect of didgeridoo playing (difference between summary z scores -0.78 SD units, -1.27 to -0.28, P < 0.01). Changes in health related quality of life did not differ between groups.
Conclusion Regular didgeridoo playing is an effective treatment alternative well accepted by patients with moderate obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome.
So their sleep and health didn't improve, but it was successful because the exertion masked their daytime sleepiness and lowered their apnoea-hypopnoea index (which btw, has already been shown to have much less correlation to symptom severity than other measures) which therefore lowered snoring and was less disruptive to their partners. Also, they have to buy a stupidly large and expensive instrument to boot. Who thought of this study? Didgeridoo sellers?? Who in their right mind would opt for this "treatment" over CPAP machines???
You do not appear to be reading this right.
Here lemme break this down and slightly rephrase it for readaibility:
Compared with the control group[,] in the didgeridoo group [we observed] daytime sleepiness and apnoea-hypopnoea index improve significantly.
[Their] partners reported less sleep disturbance [as well].
There was no [discernible/signifcant] effect on the [self-reported] quality of sleep.
So what you describe as 'masking daytime sleepiness' is actually just 'less reported daytime sleepiness'.
IE, you're more alert, less sluggish, when awake.
Apnoea-Hypopnoae index is basically the time you spend during sleeping having blood flow oxygenation below critical levels... this also significantly lessened.
Meaning that people got more regular well oxygenated blood flow while sleeping, after blwoing through a tube regularly.
The only thing that did not improve was self reported 'quality of sleep'.
Yet they were observed to snore less, and reported being less tired during the day, and their sleeping partners reported being disturbed less.
So, the only metric that didn't improve was the one that is the most subjective and least important.
They didn't report 'better sleep' but... everything else indicates that their sleep was indeed of greater quality.
Psychosomatic dubiousness that anything is different vs every other metric showing improvement.
Or, your response, basically.
Going back to the numbers, the day time sleepiness index is from 0 to 24, where over 11 is excessive sleepiness. The mean improvement is -3, which basically means these people got 3 more useful active daytime hours a day, they got 12.5% more useful time in each 24 hour period.
Again that's not masking, that's the exact improvement you are looking for.
The 'choking in your sleep' index improved by -6, when the average score of all was 21, so basically the average result was roughly 25% less time spent choking in your sleep.
Who would opt for this treatment?
I dunno, maybe anyone with a CPAP machine that wants to one day maybe not need a CPAP machine, or someone with a CPAP machine and also an unreliable local power grid?
Who would opt for this treatment?
...or anyone needing a new, niche hyperfixation!
(thanks for the excellent breakdown)
I might suggest the harmonica as another potential alternative.
Or you could just do the blow test thingy from 'The Right Stuff', for fun, or something, maybe?
Also, they have to buy a stupidly large and expensive instrument to boot.
First few results on ebay with no filters or sorting shows several for 30-100 $USD. Compact travel didges are under 30 $USD. Full size didges are ~5 ft (150 cm) and not terribly wide. They don't take up much more room than you would need to store a yardstick.
You could also probably just make a shitty/unique one out of PVC pipe, a handsaw, and a drill bit.
Or maybe even just core out a stick of dried bamboo?
I used ti have one that was a hollow bamboo tube with a beeswax covered top. I have seen pvc used also but the sound is different, which is the case for any material.
At one point, myself and some college buddies rented a townhouse after we all graduated.
In the garage, I stumbled upon a bamboo stick, maybe a bit wider than a thumb, pretty long though.
I held it aloft to examine it... it had a carb and a bowl.
We were the first renters at this place, the couple had moved but decided to rent out to us.
So basically I found my landlord's custom/jerry-rigged bamboo uh, 'peace pipe', I think is what we called it.
Now nobody will be able to sleep. Abnormal sleep schedule solved!
Oh god please no!
results said sleep quality was enhanced though